38:11.96N 15:33.50E

We left Reggio Di Calabria at 1030 on 30th August but after 10 minutes developed an engine problem with the cooling system and had to shut down the engine. Fortunately there was wind! so we sailed west across the Straits (and the shipping) to Messina and got a tow into the marina there after several VHF radio calls to the marina and the harbourmaster.

When Neil (our resident engine expert) stripped down the cooling system we discovered that the linkage from the pump to the engine had completely failed, so the next day we called a fantastic company in Majorca who helped diagnose the problem, parts required and can ship them the next day. Unfortunately with the shipping time we don’t expect to get away until a week after arriving, which is a disappointing delay after a great start, but we will still be within our planned timescales as I had allowed for some weather or equipment problems.

As we had contacted the harbourmaster I had to present my ship’s documentation, passports, etc at the harbourmaster’s office. This is not unusual as there seems to be a lot of officialdom surrounding Italian boating. But then it went downhill.

They have kept out ship’s documentation and will return it when we have had an officially approved surveyor confirm that the baot is seaworthy! My pleas that this is not a big passenger ship, just a small sailing boat and escalation to superiors were in vain – ‘rules is rules’.

This will add a day or two to the delay and probably cost a lot – providing I can organise it immediately and it all goes OK.

Meanwhile at least the marina is fairly comfortable. As it is the most expensive marina I have ever visited it will cost more than fixing the engine. It is right at the entrance to Messina port and looks over the straits which have an enormous amount of shipping traffic and legendary tides and whirlpools, so we spend a lot of time spotting ships, day and night.

 

So fingers are crossed that the parts arrive, work OK and I can get a surveyor to report favourably in reasonable time.

We are making the most of it by doing some outstanding jobs on the boat, looking around Messina, relaxing, etc.

We are only 40 or so miles from Mount Aetna which has just erupted but haven’t seen any smoke – maybe because the wind had been blowing it away.